With the Medicare Open Enrollment period soon to begin, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Human Services Agency, will provide countywide resources and help.

Medicare Open Enrollment begins on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. HICAP counselors, who are registered by the California Department of Aging, provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling to the public.

Between Oct. 5-15, HICAP counselors will host presentations on “2027 Medicare Changes” at 13 different sites around the county, including here at the District, 3639 Las Posas Road in Camarillo, 1:30-3 p.m. Oct. 9. People are encouraged to sign up online at VCAAA.VenturaCounty.gov/HICAP to register to attend these presentations.

From Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, HICAP counselors will host 35 one-stop events at 14 different sites around the county, including on the District's campus, to provide individual counseling sessions. People interested in a one-on-one appointment are urged to sign up as soon as possible, as they will fill up quickly. The online form can be found at VCAAA.VenturaCounty.gov/HICAP.

Open enrollment at the District's campus will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays, Oct. 16, Oct. 30, Nov. 13 and Nov. 20. Appointments are scheduled through VCAAA and HICAP.

Sites for these various events include Ventura (VCAAA office, Ventura Avenue Adult Center), Camarillo (Camarillo Health Care District and Pleasant Valley Senior Center), Fillmore (Active Adult Center), Moorpark (Active Adult Center), Ojai (HELP of Ojai), Oxnard (Colonia Senior Center, Palm Vista Senior Center, South Oxnard Senior Center), Port Hueneme (Orvene S. Carpenter Community Center), Santa Paula (Senior Center), Simi Valley (Senior Center) and Thousand Oaks (CRPD Conejo Creek Community Building, Goebel Adult Community Center).

Both the presentations and the individual appointments are free. For more information, call the VCAAA at 805-477-7300.